The present invention relates to devices for storing and/or organizing literature, papers and, in general, office products. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modular device which is conveniently packaged, easily assembled, and combined with one or more additional modular devices into a user""s desired configuration.
Modular organizers are convenient devices for organizing numerous types of spaces because they allow the user to configure the modular organizers in a fashion to best suite the space. For instance, modular organizers may be used alone or in combination with a small number of other modular organizers to organize a table or desktop. A greater number of modular organizers may be used, e.g., in stacks, towers, rows, etc., to organize a wall space or floor space. Because a user will generally do the work himself in creating a desired modular organizer configuration, it is important that the modular organizer itself be easy to assemble and easily attached to other like modular organizers. Additionally, because modular organizers are often used in place of more expensive wooden bookcases, it is important that the cost to the user be as low as possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,572 describes an adjustable compartment size storage unit wherein the units are attached to each other by aligning holes within each unit and securing the units via a nut and bolt combination, wherein the bolt is inserted through the aligned holes. As such, an additional component beyond the unit itself is required for securement to another unit. That additional component adds cost to each unit and extra effort for the user in attempting alignments and the screwing on bolts. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,395 describes a magazine display tray that may be attached to additional trays by use of an external clip device that is inserted into each adjacent tray. Again, the additional part makes assembly more complex and requires the creation of an expensive mold to manufacture the external clip device adding cost to the overall unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,880 describes a modular bin and organizer that in one sense avoids the use of an external, additional component for securing two units together. Here a dowel and hole combination are used, i.e., the dowel extending upward from a lower unit is inserted into the bottom-located hole of a top unit. The limitation in this arrangement is that dowel and hole combination only allow for an upward stacking pattern, e.g., no side-by-side pattern of units by using the dowel and hole combination, and further, top and bottom units are not interchangeable, e.g., the top unit must always be a top unit and the bottom unit must always be a bottom unit.
In view of the above, there is a need for a modular organizer that is easily assembled and secured to other modular organizers in virtually any desired fashion without the use of additional, external components.
The needs described above are in large measure solved by the modular organizer of the present invention. The modular organizer has both a storage mode, in which the organizer can be shipped, sold and/or stored, and an organizer mode, in which the modular organizer is assembled and useful for organizing various items. The modular organizer generally incorporates a plurality of walls, e.g., two side panels, a top panel, and a bottom panel, and two base sections, e.g., face plates. Each of the base sections includes a containing wall which extends around its perimeter and the containing wall has an exterior edge that presents an uneven outline, such as a wave or step.
In storage mode, the walls are stored within the containing wall of the base sections and the uneven outlines of the containing walls are placed proximate each other to substantially, sealingly interface creating a neat compact package for shipping, sale and/or storage. In organizer mode, the walls serve to separate, and are supported by, the base sections. The modular organizer may be converted from organizer mode to storage mode and storage mode to organizer mode any number of times. The modular organizer additionally preferably includes shelves and a back panel which may also be stored within the containing walls of the base sections. The shelves are preferably positionable in a display (angled) position or storage (horizontal) position.
Any number of modular organizers may be combined to create a singular modular unit of a desired configuration. The base sections, which are preferably four-sided, of each modular organizer preferably include at least one post and hole pair per side. As such, when one modular organizer is placed adjacent another modular organizer, the post of one organizer engages the hole of the other and vice-versa. This identical configuration of base sections thus requires only a single manufacturing mold, thereby reducing cost, and allows side-by-side, top-to-bottom, and bottom-to-top placement of adjacent modular organizers. Note, that the hole used for engaging another modular organizer may also be used in securing the walls to the base sections.